There is an obvious reason that guarantees the second largest universe to Stephen King will never be able to compete with its more interconnected series, The Dark Tower. Stephen King's new book Never waver continues the author's dive into the crime thriller genre, although it remains to be seen whether King will include some of the supernatural elements he is known for, as he has done in previous thrillers. Her newest book also marks the return of one of her most recent main characters, adding another story to her tangled new world: Holly Gibney.
Stephen King's Holly Gibney universe has been growing steadily over the last decade. First appearing in 2014 in Mr Mercedes, Holly Gibney's plot is now approaching the length of King's other seminal work, The Dark Tower seriessince there are nine works in this series, and Never waver is Holly's seventh appearance. However, although Holly's universe is growing in size, it cannot truly be compared to the The Dark Tower for one main reason, allowing both series to stand on their own.
Holly Gibney's universe can't compete with The Dark Tower for an obvious reason
Each Stephen King series uses different focal points to connect works
Although both Stephen King series include several connected books, Holly Gibney's universe isn't up to par The Dark Tower due to the chosen focus points. Holly's stories use her as an anchor in a similar way to other connected detective stories, alternating the case, cast, and stakes each time. While this allows for versatility in her books, having Holly as the focal point means this series can't reach the same massive scale as The Dark Towerespecially since Holly's stories have few supernatural elements.
The Dark TowerKing's connection to King's other works is what allows for its importance and impact on audiences, as well as King's overarching universe. The series acts as a connecting point for many of King's books, introducing concepts like The Shine and placing each dimension mentioned within the structure of the Tower as a way of explaining its existence. As a result, Holly Gibney's universe is not comparable to The Dark Tower, but it offers something unique for audiences who love King's writing.
It's a good thing Stephen King's Holly books aren't similar to The Dark Tower
The Holly Books are able to explore a new kind of horror for King
King's Holly Gibney Books If They Tried to Copy The Dark Tower series, would lose their distinct presence and the opportunity to develop The Dark Tower. Holly's stories, despite the controversies that surround them, are unique thrillers whose focus on social commentary and psychological introspection allows King to explore a new kind of horror. that his famous works only address. If Never waver If they included more supernatural elements, these themes could be undermined, as the focus would be on fleshing out the horror about what Holly discovers about herself and society through her cases.
While the Dark Tower the series itself is already strong in its own right, a new book would have the freedom to add characters and concepts without worrying about how Holly and her cases fit into the worldbuilding.
Additionally, keeping Holly Gibney in her own section of King's collection allows him to explore more The Dark Tower in other ways. While the Dark Tower the series itself is already strong in its own right, a new book would have the freedom to add characters and concepts without worrying about how Holly and her cases fit into the worldbuilding. That would give Stephen King the chance to flesh out both series and keep their different tones and themes intact, delivering haunting stories for a variety of audiences.